Condemnation of North Korea sends clear message, Clinton says

The UN Security Council condemnation of North Korea for the sinking of a South Korean warship sends a "clear message" that such acts are "unacceptable," US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday, dpa reported.

Clinton issued a statement saying the unanimously adopted Security Council statement "sends a clear message that such irresponsible and provocative behavior is a threat to peace and security in the region and will not be tolerated." The White House also welcomed the statement.

Forty-six South Korea sailors died when their vessel, the Cheonan, was struck by a torpedo and sunk in March. An international inquiry determined the weapon originated from North Korea, which has denied the allegation.

The United States agreed with the conclusion and backed close ally South Korea's effort to get the Security Council to condemn its northern neighbour. An armistice brought an end to the fighting on the peninsula in 1953 but there has not been a peace treaty to formally end the war.

"The commitment of the United States to South Korea's security and sovereignty is unwavering," said Clinton, who travels to South Korea later this month.